Abstract
Dr. James Danckert
Department of Psychology
University of Waterloo
Boredom on the brain: Attention, interoception, and the drive to be engaged
Boredom is a ubiquitous and unpleasant experience, one that recent research suggests is on the rise. Characterized in a range of different frameworks, from attentional dysfunction to self-regulatory failure and meaning seeking, we cast boredom in a functional sense – as a signal pushing the organism to explore for better options for engagement. I will first outline the work showing that boredom is associated with poor attentional control and challenges with self-regulation. I will then discuss neuroimaging work highlighting the role of the default mode network in the experience of boredom. Using Human Connectome Project data I then show that those prone to experiencing boredom demonstrate a higher level of integration of brain activity across a wide range of neural circuits. This exaggerated integration of brain activity may reflect a failure to find a Goldilocks’ zone of cognitive and neural engagement. I couch this possibility within recent findings from our lab showing that the boredom prone pay inordinate attention to interoceptive signals while struggling to make sense of those same signals. Finally, I give a brief outline of computational work my collaborators are working on to model this drive to be optimally engaged.
